Whim 14 is complete. It’s blue flowers and exposed blue zipper made the decision for shoes easy, and Anna models it here with her Killer Blue Shoes. Oooh, these shoes! I remember when we found them, on a clearance rack, … Continue reading
If you’ve been following this blog for a little bit, (or if you read the About page), you know I fabricate custom baby bedding on a weekly basis for Lavender Textiles, retailing on Etsy.com. This involves a lot of straight … Continue reading
Here we go into a new whim week and I’ve pulled a nice leafy print from my fabric stash to make a dress for my daughter Anna. This piece of polyester georgette was a relatively recent acquisition: I remember picking it up some time in the last few years. I probably paid $2.00/yard or less for this 3 yard piece. I tend to justify my fabric addiction by shopping the clearance fabrics and paying less for a potential dress than some people pay for a large coffee.
It’s the potential part of the purchase that gets snagged up. I imagine a dress or a skirt or a blouse or a jacket, buy the needed yardage on sale, and bring home my find-of-the-day with the plan to make up that imagined design soon. “Soon” passes by and then I consider the fabric as inventory, a positive asset in the ongoing business of making classic fashion one custom design at a time. And then I need therapy for my fabric addition and here we are, in week 9 of therapy, otherwise described as a Whim a Week.
Whim 9 Idea Board
Whim 9 is pretty straight forward. I’m using New Look 6022 with a minor adjustment to the line of the skirt. I made up this pattern for my daughter Anna to wear to a friend’s wedding a little over a year ago. She loves the dress and wears it often, so another please. She always wants pockets, so we’ll add those in the side seams as well. One side of the fabric is a lighter version of the reverse side, and I plan to use these differences as a design feature, with banding at neck edge and belt in the darker side, the rest of the dress in lighter side of fabric.
The dress pulls on over the head and requires a single button closure at back neck. I pulled a light and a dark button out from my button box and will decide which to use when the time comes. The sleeve has an elasticized accent and I have more than enough elastic in my notions drawer to meet the need, and so keeping to the goal to whim with what I have on hand.
Another week, another whim, and we’re off!
Whim 8 whipped up in so little time I’m a little sad I waited so long to make it. But I am not a bit sad about the wearable results! I wore Whim 8 for a gig this past weekend and both the fit and the look were just right.
Front view Whim 8
I’m a singer/songwriter as well as a couturier. I have a new cd of 10 original songs releasing next month, and we did a little pre-release show this past Saturday for the women’s meeting at Zarephath Christian Church in central New Jersey. I wore Whim 8. I felt comfortable and attractive. When you take the stage in front of a group of women, its good to be happy about what your’e wearing. In a perfect world, I would wear a custom design of my own to every special event as a sort of calling card, so it was nice to be ina perfect world for a few hours this past weekend.
Whim 8 as worn by singer/songwriter Cindy Endres
Lets talk a little about this skirt. The front and the back are the same, with two darts for fit and an elastic waistband. It took a scant 27 inches of yardage, and excluding pattern drafting time, less than an hour to make. You can dress this style up with heals, wear it with flats, or just pull it on in the summer as an attractive and cool alternative to shorts. I will be making more!
Whim 8 back view
One evidence of proper fit in a straight skirt is a side seam that hangs perpendicular to the floor. This takes different adjustments for different figures. I have a slight sway back, which means the waistline of any ready made skirt dips down at the back waist, causing the side seams to slant toward the front at the hem. Knowing this, I drafted the waist line a quarter inch lower at center back, tapering to no change at side seams, and then cut out the fabric. Side seams go up and down. Nice!
Whim 8 side view
This dotted knit of Whim 8 is heavier than tee-shirt weight, and holds its own without feeling stiff or confining. Did you know the average woman’s hips expand 3 inches when seated? Woven fabrics have to allow for this expansion with what is called “wearing ease”. Knits allow for a little less ease because they expand with us (yuck… expanding hips are yuck!). I actually took in the skirt at the sides after first fitting, so I’m happy about it all over again.
Whim 8 moves with me!
I’m done with Whim 8 and pretty sure Whim 9 is going to be a dress for a certain daughter who asked for it (Anna). Wednesday is new whim day, so check back to see where I’m whimming next! Eliana and I will be in the sewing studio all day.
Setting up photo shoot with Eliana
My music will be available for purchase and download in March, and you can follow along with the pre-release promotional process at my other blog: cindyendres.wordpress.com.
I’m a fabriholic. I love fabric and I love a good deal, and when I find the two together, I usually buy some [more] yardage. Over the years, this addiction has translated into a sizeable stash of assorted fibers and motifs. Though I frequently draw on this stash for a new project, I also frequently add to my stash. I’m not sure there’s enough time in my life to use all the fabric I have accumulated, but this year I am making a focused effort toward that goal.
I want to create a whim a week in 2014. The rules are simple. Complete one project every seven days using fabric on hand. As much as possible, spend time but no money. Perhaps I need more rules, but I have to begin somewhere.
It’s a whim a week because I want the creative license to make what I feel like making, inspired by the fabric from my stash and life, whatever is anticipated in the next seven days, ongoing.
Today I begin with this post: I commit to a whim a week for the next 52 weeks. By midnight next Tuesday, January 7, 2014, I’ll have my first completed project posted.
The first idea board will be up tomorrow night.
Cindy Endres Couture 